Drinking Water

David Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on mineral water in each of the last three years.

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on bottled water in the latest year for which figures are available.

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many litres of bottled water were purchased by his Department in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar) by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury (John Healey) on 9 January 2006,  Official Report, column 302W. Total costs for meeting refreshments were £223,619 in 2006-07 and £243,129 in 2005-06.

Security: Licensed Premises

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what licensing conditions apply to door staff working after midnight at licensed premises.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 6 March 2008
	Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 an individual who carries out manned guarding activities, such as guarding premises or property, in relation to licensed premises, requires a door supervisor's licence from the Security Industry Authority. Further, where the activities in question are undertaken in relation to licensed premises as defined in the Act and under certain conditions for the requirement are that the activity takes place at or in relation to times when the premises are open to the public, and alcohol is being supplied for consumption on the premises or regulated entertainment is being provided. The requirement for a door supervisor's licence is not affected by the time of day when the activity takes place. It applies whether the individual is employed on contract or "in-house".

Shoplifting

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were for shoplifting in each of the last three years; and what proportion of those arrested tested positive for illicit drugs.

Vernon Coaker: Data on arrests collected by the Ministry of Justice provides information on persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences), aggregated by main offence group, i.e. violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, etc. More detailed data about specific offences such as shoplifting do not form part of this collection. In the light of that, the data are not available in the requested format.
	Since 2003, drug testing of offenders for specified class A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) in some police custody suites has operated as part of the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP). Under DIP, offenders who are arrested/charged with a trigger offence (including 'theft' offences, which also includes shoplifting offences) in DIP intensive areas (those areas with high levels of drug-related crime) are required to undergo a drug test.
	The proportion of individuals who tested positive for heroin and/or crack cocaine following arrest/charge for 'theft' offences (including shoplifting) as part of the DIP programme in the last three years for which we have data are shown as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2004-05 50 
			 2005-06 48 
			 2006-07 38 
		
	
	It should be noted that the reduction in the positive test rate reflects the introduction of the power to test on arrest rather than just at the charge stage. Data is not available for all illicit drugs as DIP only tests for specified CLASS A drugs (heroin, cocaine/crack cocaine) and that only some custody suites have drug testing.
	Where individuals test positive for heroin and/or cocaine/crack cocaine, they are required to undergo an assessment of their drug use and treatment needs with a drug worker. Failure to attend can result in a criminal charge. Since 2003, more than 115,000 drug misusers have entered treatment through DIP.
	Figures from a voluntary survey of police arrestees (the Arrestee Survey, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/07 (2007)), show that 54 per cent. of those reporting regular (weekly) use of heroin or crack cocaine (HC) reported shoplifting in the four weeks prior to arrest. Among those arrested for shoplifting, 37 per cent. self-reported weekly use of HC.

Wildlife: Crime

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time wildlife crime officers there were in each police force in each year since 1997, broken down by rank; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information, on number of full-time wildlife crime officers, is not collected centrally.
	Decisions on how wildlife crime is addressed, including decisions on resources and staffing, are matters for the police service. These decisions will be made by the chief constable in the light of the competing demands on the force and the priorities of the local communities.
	The work of wildlife crime officers in forces is supported by a National Wildlife Crime Unit, which covers both England and Scotland; and the Home Office has recently announced that it will be providing funding for each of the next three years to support the work of this unit.

Magazine Press

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of the Cabinet Office staff magazine from the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: I refer the hon. member to the answer given by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office (Hilary Armstrong) on 26 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1348W.

Members: Telephone Tapping

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the inquiry into the covert recording of the hon. Member for Tooting, whether the Wilson Doctrine forbids surveillance or interception of hon. Members' use of  (a) personal digital assistants,  (b) mobile telephone texts,  (c) voice over internet protocol systems,  (d) internet browsers and  (e) email.

Gordon Brown: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor (Mr. Blair) to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 1 February 2007,  Official Report, column 464W.

Defence Medical Service: Manpower

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made in recruitment to fill manning shortfalls in the Defence Medical Service.

Bob Ainsworth: We accept that manpower shortfalls remain in some key specialties, including some consultant cadres and specialist nurses. These shortfalls have never resulted in the Defence Medical Services being unable to meet operational commitments. We manage medical deployments on a tri-service basis, allowing the work load to be shared more evenly and maximising capabilities. In addition we make use of reserves and civilian agency contractors and work closely with allies to ensure appropriate medical support is in place.
	To encourage the recruitment of certain specialities within the Defence Medical Services, where there are the most severe shortfalls, the Department pays "Golden Helios". Golden Helios are currently paid to General Medical Practitioners, and certain specialist consultants and nurses.
	In addition the single services' medical directorates have their own locally driven policies to improve recruitment.

Departmental Consultants

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultants his Department employed in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and at what cost in each year.

Derek Twigg: Specific data on the number of consultants employed by the Ministry of Defence is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, MOD expenditure on external assistance, which includes management and other types of consultancy, has been reported to Ministers since 1995-96: summaries are available in the Library of the House.
	Furthermore, information on organisations, including consultancy firms, paid £5 million or more by the MOD in each financial year is published in the UK defence statistics. Copies are also placed in the Library.

Territorial Army

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to mark the role played in the defence of the UK by the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in its centenary year.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 29 February 2008
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ingram) made on 12 June 2007,  Official Report, column 41WS, and the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces (Mr. Ainsworth) gave on 17 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2176W, to the hon. Member for Westbury (Dr. Murrison).
	I hope to be in a position to make an announcement on the events that are planned to mark the role played by the Territorial Army in the very near future.

Devolution: Scotland

Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister what recent consideration he has given to returning powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament to the United Kingdom Parliament.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath) on 31 January 2008,  House of Lords  Official Report, column WA145. In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my spokesman on 18 February 2008. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website
	http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page14595.asp
	and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Food

James Paice: To ask the Prime Minister what proportion of food served in 10 Downing Street was of British origin in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007, broken down by food type; and what proportion was sourced from countries outside the EU in each case.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor (right hon. Tony Blair) on 31 January 2007,  Official Report, column 303W.

Clear

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments his Department and its agencies have made to communications consultancy, Clear; and for what purpose. [Official Report, 2 June 2008, Vol. 477, c. 7MC.]

Ben Bradshaw: The Department paid invoices to Clear totalling £4,230.00 between May and June 2004. Records do not show the purpose of these invoices.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births were the result of IVF or donor insemination between 2002 and 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Total number of babies born in the UK as a result of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and donor insemination treatments 2002-05( 1) 
			   IVF( 2)  Donor insemination( 3) 
			 2002 9,760 889 
			 2003 10,076 821 
			 2004 10,190 749 
			 2005(1) 11,268 645 
			  Notes:  1. 2005 is the most recent year for which information is currently available. 2. Data includes all IVF treatment cycles including use of donated eggs, frozen embryo transfers and treatment cycles involving the use of micromanipulation techniques. 3. Data includes treatment cycles involving artificial insemination and Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer.  Source:  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), A long term analysis of the HFEA register data 1991-2006, revised February 2008.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households  (a) with more than £100,000 annual income and  (b) in each household income decile have (i) one member and (ii) two members in receipt of (A) £100 a week, (B) £150 a week, (C) £200 a week and (D) £300 a week winter fuel payment.

Mike O'Brien: The information is not available in the format requested.
	An annual winter fuel payment of £200 is paid to a person aged 60 or over living at home (£100 if they share a home with someone else eligible for a winter fuel payment—this may be a spouse, partner, sibling or friend). £300 is payable to a person payments are available to almost all people aged 60 or over. Eligibility is not based on income; they were designed to give older people reassurance that they could turn up their heating in winter.
	In 2005-06, the latest year for which details are available, Winter Fuel Payments were made to around 100,000 households containing pensioners with equivalised total annual income above £100,000.
	The available information on the distribution of winter fuel payment by income decile is given in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Equilivalised income decile (after housing costs)  Number of households containing pensioners in receipt of winter fuel payments 
			 Decile 1 (lowest incomes) 0.6 
			 Decile 2 0.8 
			 Decile 3 1.4 
			 Decile 4 1.2 
			 Decile 5 1.1 
			 Decile 6 0.9 
			 Decile 7 0.8 
			 Decile 8 0.8 
			 Decile 9 0.7 
			 Decile 10 (highest incomes) 0.6 
			  Notes:  1. Data is provided on an after housing costs basis, which is our preferred measure for Pensioners.  2. These statistics employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. These figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors.  3. The figures are survey based and based in part on imputed information. In 2005-06, WFPs were made to 8.2 million households.   Source:  Family Resources Survey 2005-06.

Energy-using Products Framework Directive

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Energy-using Products Framework Directive does not disadvantage small and medium-sized manufacturers;
	(2)  how his Department plans to implement the provisions of the Energy-using Products Directive relating to progressive minimum standards for controls that installers will need to comply with when installing a boiler; if he will ensure that that implementation does not include requirements additional to those in the Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Energy Using Products Framework Directive (EuP) by itself, does not have any direct impact on industry. Rather it establishes a Framework for the European Commission and member states to develop implementing measures setting eco-design requirements for specific products or product groups. It is only when these implementing measures have been agreed and enter into force that they require manufacturers to take action. Discussions on specific implementing measures are still ongoing.
	Similarly, as discussions between the Commission, member states and stakeholders relating to the proposed implementing measure for hot water heaters and boilers are still ongoing it is not yet possible to say what the exact requirements, if any, will be for controls nor what form this implementing measure will take.
	My officials have invited key stakeholders, including members of the boiler and water heater industry, to discuss the proposals currently being considered in this area and to raise any concerns on implications for the UK. The Commission is currently analysing responses from the industry and the alternative proposals it has put forward.

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the policy of British jobs for British workers will affect his Department's recruitment policy.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) gave to him on 3 March 2008  Official Report, columns 2206-07W.

Students: Bankruptcy

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many undergraduate students resident in  (a) Suffolk,  (b) the East of England and  (c) England declared themselves bankrupt in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Provisions were included in the Higher Education Act 2004 to prevent student loans being written off on bankruptcy (mortgage-style 1oans from July 2004 and Income-contingent loans from September 2004), Currently student loans are not exempt from individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs).
	The increase in student loan borrowers with bankrupted should be seen in the context of the increases among the general population. Figures from the Insolvency Service show that between 2002 and 2006 the number of individual bankruptcies in England and Wales more than doubled; the number of IVAs increased seven-fold.
	Up to 2004 only combined figures for bankruptcies and IVAs are available from SLC data. After the change in legislation SLC ceased to record bankruptcies, as student loans are excluded from bankruptcy debts and are not written off on discharge from bankruptcy. Figures from 2005 show IVAs only.
	Available data are shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Students with publicly-owned student loans who notified the Student Loans Company (SLC) of their bankruptcy or individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) while studying( 1) . Students domiciled in Suffolk, East of England Government Office Region and England. Calendar years of bankruptcy or IVA 1997 to 2004 
			   Suffolk( 2)  East of England( 2)  England( 3) 
			 1997 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 1998 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 1999 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 2000 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 2001 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 2002 (4)— (4)— 10 
			 2003 (4)— 10 50 
			 2004 (4)— 10 110 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 borrowers. Students on postgraduate initial teacher training courses can be eligible for loans, and therefore figures may include some who took out loans for postgraduate study.  (2) Income-contingent loans only. Information on mortgage-style loan borrowers who are bankrupt or have IVAs is not available by local authority or Government Office Region.  (3) Mortgage-style and income-contingent loans.  (4) Nil or less than five.   Source:  Student Loans Company 
		
	
	
		
			  Students with publicly-owned student loans who took individual voluntary arrangements (IVA) while studying( 1. ) Students domiciled in Suffolk, East of England Government Office Region and England. Calendar years of IVA 2005 to 2006 
			   Suffolk( 2)  East of England( 2)  England( 3) 
			 2005 (4)— (4)— 30 
			 2006 (4)— (4)— 20 
			 1 Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 borrowers. Students on postgraduate initial teacher training courses can be eligible for loans, and therefore figures may include some who took out loans for postgraduate study.  2 Income-contingent loans only. Information on mortgage-style loan borrowers who are bankrupt or have IVAs is not available by local authority or Government Office Region.  3 Mortgage-style and income-contingent loans.  4 Nil or less than five.   Source:  Student Loans Company.

Students: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills prior to his request to the Higher Education Funding Council for England of 7 September on funding for equivalent and lower qualifications (ELQs), what research he commissioned on the effect of his request on access to higher education.

Bill Rammell: The latest data from the labour market speaks for itself. There are 20 million people of working age who do not have a first HE qualification, including six million who have qualifications at A level or equivalent but have not progressed to higher education. Over time, new data from the labour market and comparative date from the OECD will inform future analysis of whether we are producing enough graduates for our economic well-being and enabling enough people with the talent to succeed to access higher education to study for a first qualification.